DNC Day One: Leaders Struggle to Unify a Fractious Crowd

Sanders asks everyone to vote for his rival, Hillary Clinton

PHILADELPHIA -- The Democratic National Convention (DNC) got underway on Monday with a fractious group of delegates who were clearly in disagreement over supporting the party's presumed nominee, Hillary Clinton.

Supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) were very vocal, especially at the beginning of the night. Many speakers were interrupted with shouts of "Bernie, Bernie" and speakers who emphasized their support of Hillary Clinton were booed -- starting with Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale of the Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, Ga., who gave the invocation.

And the disruption didn't occur just inside the arena. Bernie supporters marched around the city and -- according to some onlookers -- blocked the buses that were hired to ferry reporters and DNC staff members between the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the Wells Fargo Arena.

During the convention session, Clinton supporters did their best to cheer and clap over their Sanders counterparts; between the two groups, the noise was often deafening. One speaker, new Democratic chair and congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), seemed exasperated. "I intend to be fair, I want to hear the various opinions here, I intend to be respectful of you and I want you to be respectful of me," she said, to loud applause. "We are all Democrats and we need to act like it."

But despite the discord, the convention business was taken care of, with the party rules and platform approved by voice vote. Then followed a parade of speakers, including actress Eva Longoria, comedian Sarah Silverman, and Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.)

"I got my doctorate in megalomania studies from Trump University," Franken joked, referring to a troubled proprietary "school" started by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. "Sure, I had to empty out my 401(k) and take out a reverse mortgage on my house to pay the tuition. But Mr. Trump, or rather, some people who said they'd once met him, convinced me it was worth it."

Throughout the evening, healthcare remained an undercurrent. "Millions have health insurance for the first time thanks to the Affordable Care Act," said Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). but for those who need help with anything, "The Republican Party has said to them, 'You're on your own.'"

Boston mayor Marty Walsh (D) began his speech by saying, "My name is Marty Walsh and I'm an alcoholic." Walsh described his life as a recovering alcoholic who went on to become mayor 18 years later. "As mayor I work to give everyone a second chance, whether it's apprenticeships, community college, or helping start a business. [And Hillary Clinton] believes in an America for those who need a helping hand, [like] moms struggling with addiction."

Reproductive health issues were also part of the focus."We will not stand idly by, because we believe that Congress has to keep its hands off Planned Parenthood," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.). Hillary Clinton has worked to "make family planning accessible for every American woman, and helped to provide 8 million American children with health insurance," Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) reminded the crowd.

Before the evening's events began, Democrats were busy holding other briefings.

At a disability rights caucus, former senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the chief sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), reminded the audience that although America has come far in granting rights and accommodations to the disabled, "we've still got a ways to go ... When 60% of people with disabilities are out of the workforce, it's a blot on our character. When 26 years [after the ADA's passage], it's still legal to pay a sub-minimum wage to people with disabilities, it's time to change the law."

Earlier in the day, the big news story was Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who was forced to resign as DNC chairwoman when leaked emails revealed a pro-Clinton bias among party leaders, especially Schultz. She announced her resignation on Sunday, but said she would turn over the gavel after the convention. That changed when her remarks to a morning meeting of her state caucus were interrupted by boos and catcalls. By mid-day Schultz said she would not speak at the convention.

Schultz is a breast cancer survivor, is well known in medical circles for her blistering condemnation of the 2009 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force mammography guidelines.

At a morning press conference, Brian Fallon, press secretary for Hillary for America, praised Schultz's move. "She's done a great service to our party ... in helping us get to the position we're at right now to be in such a strong position to win this election in November, and so for her to step down at the end of the week is really an extraordinary gesture on her part to achieve party unity and to achieve a distraction-free convention."

Finally, at the very end of the night, Sanders himself took the stage, thanking his delegates for their support and adding that he looked forward to hearing them vote for him at the roll call on Tuesday. He issued his now-familiar call to end wealth inequality, but also discussed the need for Democrats to elect Hillary Clinton as president. And healthcare, he said, was one of the reasons why.

"This campaign is about moving us to universal healthcare and about reducing the number of people who are uninsured or underinsured," Sanders said. "Hillary Clinton wants to see all Americans have the right to choose a public option in their healthcare decisions. She believes anyone 55 or older should be able to opt into Medicare. She wants to see millions more Americans gain access to primary healthcare mental health counseling, dental care, and low-cost prescription drugs."

In contrast, he said, Trump's position on health is the "same old same old ... contempt for working families; he wants to abolish the ACA and throw 20 million people off of health insurance, and cut Medicaid for low-income Americans." The crowd responded with boos.

"Hillary Clinton also understands that millions of seniors, disabled veterans and others are struggling with the outrageously high cost of prescription drugs and the fact that Americans pay the highest prices in the world for the medicines we use," he continued. "She knows Medicare must negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry and that drug companies should not be making billions in profits when 1 out of 5 Americans are unable to afford the medicines they need. The greed of the drug companies must end."

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